The Answer
by fanwriter1245
Summary: Growing up in the palace, Rudolf befriended the daughter of one of the servants. She is there to stop him from shooting himself in Mayerling. But Death will always get what he wants.
1. Prologue

**The version I envisioned while writing this was the Japanese production with Yu Shirota as Death and Yuta Furukawa as Prince Rudolf. I've only seen about ten minutes of the production, but what I saw was absolutely incredible and gave me inspiration for the story.**

* * *

 _Mayerling, 1889_

Rudolf held the cold gun his old friend had handed to him in his trembling hands. He tried his best to still them, staring at the object that would soon end his life.

How had it come to this?

He swallowed thickly and attempted to calm his raging nerves. With all the pain and hopelessness he felt, it should be easy to do this. But he found he was still afraid.

The young man turned and kissed the friend who had never failed him before. He had always been there for him when everyone else had left him on his own.

His friend pulled away. As Rudolf looked into his eyes, he felt himself resigned even further to what he was about to do.

He raised the gun to his temple.

"NO!"

His arm was forced up just as he fired the shot.

It took a moment for Rudolf to realize that he was not dead. He could hear ragged breathing in his ear that he knew was not his own.

Someone had his arm pointed towards the sky and firmly held the back of his head with the other hand.

Slowly, his arm came down. The person holding him gently took the gun out of his hand and tossed it away from him.

When the person pulled away, it immediately confirmed his suspicions.

He knew this face all too well.

"Oh, Rudolf…" she said as she reached to gently caress the side of his face. "I should've known…" She turned to look at his friend. "How could you?" she asked softly but accusatorially.

"You know him?" Rudolf asked in surprise.

She turned back to look at him. "Death comes to everyone. Only those who choose to can see him."

Rudolf supposed he had always known there was something supernatural about his old friend, and he had had his suspicions for the longest time, but actually hearing it spoken out loud made his stomach flip.

"When did you see him?" he asked her.

"When my mother died," she answered. "That was the first time…"


	2. Chapter 2

_Hofburg, 1865_

Young seven-year-old Rudolf wandered out to the palace gardens in an effort to escape from his princely duties and his intimidating grandmother who seemed to want nothing more than for him to be miserable.

At least out in the gardens, there were many places to hide should someone come looking for him.

Although…if it was his mother who came looking for him, he would never hide from her. He wished he was able to see her.

He still didn't understand why his grandmother forbid them from seeing each other. What was so wrong about seeing his own mother?

Once the young prince was inside the gardens, he saw a little girl sitting amongst the flowers on one of the benches.

She must've worked at the palace since no one aside from servants and members of the Royal household were allowed inside the palace gates. He hadn't known there was someone here who was his age.

"Hello," he said as he approached her.

The girl looked up and her eyes widened when she saw the familiar blue coat he wore. She quickly stood up and bowed to him.

"Hello, Your Majesty," she said with a high voice.

"What's your name?"

"Charlotte, Your Majesty."

"I'm Rudolf."

"I know, Your Majesty."

"You don't have to keep bowing."

The girl straightened up. "Sorry, Your Majesty."

"And you don't have to keep saying 'Your Majesty'."

"Sorry, Your…uh, sorry."

"What are you doing out here?"

"The head maid sent me out here while they worked. They won't let me help them because they think I'll break something and then the Empress will get mad."

"She won't get mad."

"Really?"

"I don't get to see her, but I've seen pictures and she's very pretty. Someone that pretty couldn't get mad about broken things."

"Why don't you get to see her?"

"My grandmother won't let me. She says I need to study and train."

"I can't see my mother either."

"Why not?"

"She's very sick. And they don't want me to get sick too."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be! Mama's going to get better, and then I can help her work again!"

"Charlotte!" a woman's voice called. "Charlotte? Come here!"

Charlotte bowed again in Rudolf's direction. "I think she's going to tell me Mama's all better! Bye, Rudolf!"

Rudolf waved as she bounded off. That was the first time he had ever had a conversation, short as it was, with someone who treated him like a person, not a prince or a student. Someone who didn't use big words he didn't understand or yell at him for doing something wrong.

He liked it.

* * *

Charlotte sat in the gardens crying.

None of the other servants disturbed her, allowing the young girl her time to mourn.

"Hello, my child."

Charlotte turned to find a very handsome man in dark clothing. Everything was black from his long coat to his leather pants to his large boots. Even his nails were painted a deep black. His very long blonde hair was tied back into a low ponytail though his hair remained parted to the right.

"Who are you?" she choked out through her tears.

"A friend," he answered with a smile.

"What are you doing here? Do you serve the Emperor?"

"No, child. But I am a…friend of the Empress, so to speak."

He slowly walked over to her, and though Charlotte knew she should be afraid of him, she found that she wasn't.

"I know about your mother."

More tears made their way down Charlotte's cheeks. "Mama said she was going to get better. But she didn't!"

"She was very sick. But she lived a good life and she no longer feels the pain of her illness."

"I want Mama back! She's supposed to take care of me! Who's going to take care of me now?"

"Are there no servants to watch you?"

"Yes…but they don't care about me the way Mama did. Mama let me help her with her work, and she always tucked me in at night and told me stories. The other ladies don't like me very much. They think I'm going to get them in trouble."

The man knelt down in front of her so that his head was lower than hers. He had a nice kind smile that made her feel like she could pour her heart out to him and he would gladly listen to her.

It was his eyes that were strange. She couldn't explain it, but they were like black holes that pulled her deep into his world. They didn't seem totally…human.

And yet, she still wasn't afraid of him.

"If you chose to come with me…you would never have to worry about the other servants again. You would be free of them forever."

"Forever?" Charlotte asked softly.

The young girl looked at the man in front of her, contemplating his strange offer. It was quite tempting. To never have to put up with the mean ladies who seemed to hate her?

But would this stranger really provide freedom from them or was he just attempting to trick her? Something about him made her feel like she could trust him…

"Charlotte?"

Charlotte quickly turned around and saw Rudolf approaching her. She started to bow, but she stopped when she remembered that she was a girl so she was supposed to curtsey.

"What's the matter?" Rudolf asked when he noticed her tear-stained cheeks.

"Mama's dead," she told him quietly.

"But I thought she was better."

"She was supposed to get better! But she didn't."

"I'm very sorry."

Charlotte turned around to look behind her, but she did not see the kind man from before. Where could he have gone?

"What is it?"

"Um…nothing," Charlotte answered.

Had she simply dreamed of her encounter with the man due to her grief and her longing for someone who cared about her? Was he only a figment of her imagination?

"I started learning how to dance today," Rudolf told her in an attempt to make her think about something other than her mother's death. "My grandmother said that a prince needs to know how to dance for when he goes to balls."

"I want to go to a ball," Charlotte smiled a little. "Mama said she worked at one before. All the girls get to wear pretty dresses and dance with the boys all night long. But she didn't get to dance that night because they needed her to work instead. One day, I'll get to go to a ball and I'll get to dance just like the pretty ladies."

"Can I teach you?" Rudolf asked excitedly.

"Yeah!"

Rudolf went up to her and took her hands. "Okay, this hand goes here." He placed her left hand on his shoulder. "Then you hold my hand like this. And then you step back with your right foot."

Charlotte took a tentative step back while Rudolf stepped forward with his left foot.

"And then go to the side like this."

The two of them slowly stepped in a square around the garden, both sets of eyes locked on their feet so they didn't make a mistake.

"And then you turn like this."

When Rudolf attempted to make them turn, his feet entangled with Charlotte's and they both went sprawling onto the ground.

Charlotte laughed loudly, and Rudolf began laughing next to her.

The two children could not stop laughing at their poor attempts to waltz together.

"Rudolf! There you are!"

To Rudolf's dismay, his grandmother, Sophie, marched out to the gardens. She came over to the two of them and yanked her grandson off the ground with enough force to make his arm hurt.

"Don't lay on the ground in your nice clothes!" she ordered with that especially scary face Rudolf hated. "You'll get them dirty!" Her stern gaze turned to Charlotte. "Learn your place, girl. The Crown Prince does not have any business associating himself with the servants."

"Charlotte," one of the servants called. She quickly curtseyed in Sophie's direction. "Please forgive her, Your Majesty. Her mother recently passed away, so we allowed her time in the gardens alone to mourn."

"You will do well to teach her her place in the palace."

"Of course, Your Majesty." The maid took Charlotte's hand. "Come along, Charlotte."

The maid curtseyed to the two royals, and Charlotte followed her example.

"Bye, Rudolf," she said to the child.

"Young lady, you will learn to address the Crown Prince with the proper respect," Sophie admonished. "You call him 'Your Highness' or 'my lord'. You never address him by his first name."

Rudolf looked at his new friend sadly as she was escorted away from him.

Charlotte did not dare to glance back at the Prince for fear she would get yelled at again. It was then she was reminded that though she and Rudolf were around the same age, they were from very different worlds and no one would ever let her forget it.

* * *

Charlotte thought back over the countless lectures she had received over the past several days.

The maids of the palace had been teaching her proper etiquette as a servant for the Emperor and Empress. In addition to that, she also had to take lessons so she could learn how to read and write properly in order to serve them better. Her head hurt when she attempted to remember all of the information, and she was exhausted from the sheer amount of work they were all making her do.

Her mother had allowed her to help her with her daily chores and she made the work fun. Whenever she taught Charlotte her lessons, she too made that an enjoyable experience. But she never let her daughter do too much so that she didn't wear herself out being the young child she was.

Now that she was gone, the other servants took it upon themselves to teach her what to do. And it was not nearly as fun as it had been with her mother.

The servants got frustrated with her very easily when she was doing chores or lessons. There was no time for patience when they taught her, and there was no time for mistakes which made it even harder for her to learn.

Charlotte felt like every little thing she did was wrong. She was constantly berated for the work she did or for the things she said.

Her mother had never gotten frustrated with her.

Sitting alone in the gardens, she was finally free, if only for a few precious minutes.

"Hello, Charlotte!"

Charlotte quickly stood up and curtseyed. "Good afternoon, Your Highness."

Rudolf frowned a little. "When it's just us, will you call me Rudolf?"

Charlotte smiled. "Okay!"

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been learning how to be a good servant. It's horrible. The head maid, Katrina, yells at me all the time. I feel like I never do anything right."

"I know how that feels. My grandmother yells at me all the time too. And she makes General Gondrecourt train me every day and he yells even more than she does."

"I don't like it when people yell. I wish Mama was still here. She hardly ever yelled at me."

"I don't get to see my mama. But I think that's going to change! She's standing up to my grandmother and is going to be able to choose when she gets to see me!"

Charlotte's eyes lit up. "That's so good! Then you'll be able to see your mama as much as you want to!"

"Yeah! I hope my friend keeps coming to see me though."

"What friend?"

"A few nights ago, I was calling out for Mama, but she didn't come. So this man came to me and told me he was a friend and that he would always be there when Mama wasn't. I liked him. He was really nice to me."

"I'm glad you have a new friend."

"I have two!"

"Who's the other one?"

"You, of course!"

"I thought we weren't allowed to be friends."

"We already are!"

Charlotte smiled broadly. "You're right! We are friends!"

* * *

"Charlotte," Katrina said firmly. "The Crown Prince has fallen ill. Take this tray up to his room. Remember to knock on the door and announce your presence before entering. You are to set the tray on the table next to the bed, curtsey, and leave. Do not speak unless spoken to. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Charlotte answered.

She had been working as a maid in the palace for a little over a year now. She had considerably improved in her duties, but Katrina still disciplined her many, many times even when she didn't do anything wrong. She wished she could understand why the head maid disliked her so much.

Charlotte took the tray from Katrina and headed up to Rudolf's room.

Per her instructions, she politely knocked on the door.

"Come in," a stuffy voice said on the other end with a sneeze and a cough.

Charlotte entered the room. "Hello, Rudolf."

"Charlotte?"

"I've brought some soup, water, and medicine for you."

"Thank you."

Charlotte set the tray down on the table in the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible."

The girl sat down on the bed next to him and felt his forehead. "You're very hot."

"One of the servants said it's a fever."

Charlotte's eyes widened. "That's what they said Mama had. But you're going to get better, right?"

"I think so. They said it's normal for people to get sick. Especially boys like me. As long as I take my medicine, I'll be fine."

"Good."

"I wish my mama would come see me."

"Your mother hasn't taken care of you? My mama always took care of me when I was sick."

"No. I haven't seen her very much at all."

"I thought she was going to see you a lot after she talked to your grandmother."

"So did I."

"Well, don't worry. I'm sure she'll come see you soon. Mamas always come see their children when they're sick."

"Thank you for the food, Charlotte."

"Of course. I hope you feel better, Rudolf."

The girl got up off the bed and curtseyed. Then she left the room to let the young prince rest.

* * *

Charlotte lay in bed miserable.

She had been put in one of the solitary rooms instead of the servants' quarters so no one else who slept there would get sick as well.

Katrina felt the girl's forehead again. "I told you not to linger in the prince's room. Now because of your foolishness, you've gone and gotten yourself sick."

Charlotte sighed. Why was she getting yelled at for simply falling ill?

"Take your medicine and rest. I need you working again as soon as possible."

Katrina quickly left the room, closing the door just a little too loud.

Charlotte forced herself to down the red sticky liquid that tasted like an old shoe. The soup sitting next to her was extremely watery and in a very tiny bowl. It tasted awful and wasn't nearly enough to fill her up. She felt even sicker once she had finished it.

A few hours later, the door opened. She mentally prepared herself to face Katrina's wrath again.

To her surprise, Rudolf quietly entered the room.

"What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked with a cough. "You'll get in trouble if Katrina finds you."

"I heard you were sick."

"How?"

"The servants were talking about it as they worked." He looked over at the small bowl sitting on the table next to her. "Is that all you've gotten to eat today?"

"Yes."

"I'll be right back."

The young prince left and when he came back, he held in his hands a bowl of piping hot soup that looked infinitely better than the one she had been given earlier.

"Where did you get that?" she asked with another cough.

"I went to the kitchen to ask the cook for some."

"Why?"

"Because you need it to get better."

Charlotte slowly sipped it. She sighed in happiness as it went down her sore throat. It tasted so much better than what Katrina had given her. She had a feeling that the awful soup had been intentional as some sort of punishment for getting sick.

"Thank you, Rudolf."

"It's the least I could do since you got sick because of me."

"It wasn't because of you."

"Yes, it was."

"I wasn't supposed to be in your room anyway."

"But if you hadn't, who would've talked to me?"

"What about your friend you told me about?"

"He comes, but it's not the same. It's more fun to talk to someone my age."

Charlotte smiled a little as she finished her soup.

Rudolf took the bowl from her. "I'll get this back to the kitchen so no one thinks you stole it."

"Thank you. You know, Rudolf, you're my best friend."

Rudolf smiled. "You're my best friend too."

Charlotte sneezed.

"Bless you."

* * *

It was a very busy day at the palace.

It was the Crown Prince Rudolf's twelfth birthday.

The young boy spent all day celebrating with a lot of people he didn't even know. It was insufferable and the longer he 'celebrated', the more he wished he never had another birthday as long as he lived.

Sophie made sure that he never strayed from her side as he attended each celebration in his honor.

His mother was off on a trip for her health and was not in attendance.

Once the longest day of his life had ended, Rudolf retreated to his room and collapsed on the bed. He was exhausted and wanted to sleep for the next three days.

But he knew where he needed to go first.

The young prince discreetly snuck out of the palace and down to the gardens. Over the last several years, he had gotten very good at sneaking out since he met Charlotte outside often. It was the only way the two of them could talk to one another freely without the complaints of Sophie or Katrina.

"Charlotte!" he called quietly.

"I'm over here," she whispered back.

He followed her voice and found her smiling at him.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

"I have something for you."

"What?"

She handed him a book. "I couldn't wrap it. But one of the servants took me out shopping a few days ago, and she helped me buy it since she wanted me to learn how to read better. I didn't tell her that it was really for you."

"Will you get in trouble when she sees that you don't have it anymore?"

"No. She may be a little upset, but I'll just get another one the next time we go out."

Rudolf looked at the book. It was a collection of stories by the well-known Brothers Grimm.

"Thank you very much," he said quietly. "I can't believe you got this for me."

"I had to get my best friend a present on his birthday."

"It's just…it's harder for you to get things for yourself much less other people."

"It wasn't that hard."

"This is the best present I've gotten all day."

Charlotte smiled. "I'm glad."

"Thank you, Charlotte."

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, Rudolf."

To Charlotte's surprise, Rudolf hugged her. He had never hugged her before. She tightly hugged him back.

"You're the best friend ever."

"It's just a book."

"But it's the only present I got today that I actually like."

"You didn't get anything at all that you like?"

"My grandmother told everyone to only get me practical things. So everything can only be used for lessons or for training."

Charlotte frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be because your present is something I can use over and over again."

Charlotte's heart swelled with pride, thankful the servant she had been with had suggested the book under the impression it was for her.


	3. Chapter 3

As Rudolf and Charlotte grew up, their meetings in the gardens became less and less frequent. Rudolf had princely duties and meetings to worry about, and Charlotte had more and more work to complete the older she got.

That didn't stop Charlotte from smiling at Rudolf every time she saw him, whether it be in the passing (when she also had to curtsey to him) or when she served him or cleaned his room for him.

The Empress took many trips out of the palace, supposedly for her health, but Charlotte started to wonder if she was just using that as an excuse to escape from political affairs.

The sixteen-year-old sat in the gardens taking a small break from her chores and avoiding the hateful eyes of Katrina for just a little while.

She smiled when she saw Rudolf approaching. The boy was quickly becoming a young man and a very handsome one at that.

"Taking a break as well?"

Rudolf laughed lightly. "I just got released from hunting practice. General Gondrecourt was as strict as ever and yelled each time I missed."

"Not even the best hunters hit something every time."

"Tell him that."

Charlotte smiled. "I don't think a servant questioning the General's methods is the wisest decision. Why must we be instructed by people who only yell at us?

"Maybe it happens when they hit a certain age. Or maybe they simply dislike anyone other than themselves."

Charlotte laughed. "Other than that, are your other studies going well?"

"It would be better if Mother was here. She's out of the palace more than she's in it."

"I know…"

"Sometimes I wonder if she even cares about her life here at all. About me or Father…"

"I'm sure she does."

"Then why is she gone all the time?"

"They say it's for her health."

"Even if that's true, she shouldn't have to leave so often."

Charlotte couldn't respond. She too often wondered if the Empress cared about her son at all. From what she heard from Rudolf, the woman never made even the slightest effort to be close to him or show any affection towards him.

"Pardon me, Your Highness."

The both of them looked over to find Katrina entering the gardens.

Charlotte grimaced. This wasn't going to go over well with her.

Katrina politely curtseyed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but Charlotte has chores to do."

"Of course," Rudolf answered. "Please forgive me for keeping her."

"Come, Charlotte."

Charlotte and Katrina curtseyed to the prince. Rudolf gave Charlotte an apologetic look as she followed Katrina out of the gardens, knowing that the head maid was about to verbally abuse her yet again.

Once back in the servants' quarters, Katrina furiously rounded on her.

"What do you think you were doing?" she demanded.

"I just—"

"You are never to speak so familiarly with the Crown Prince! As a servant, you have no business even looking at him!"

"But—"

"Do you know what would've happened had the Emperor seen you speaking with him? It would not just be you in trouble. All of us would be punished for your insolence! Things would be even worse if the Empress caught you!"

"But the Empress doesn't even care about him!" Charlotte blurted.

That remark was answered with a harsh slap on the face.

"Don't you dare speak of the Empress that way," the head maid growled. "The Empress deserves all of your respect and more. If anyone heard you saying such things, you might be tried for treason. If I ever hear something like that from your mouth again or if you are caught speaking with the Crown Prince while not completing your responsibilities, I swear to you that I will inform the Emperor and the Empress of your actions. They will deal with you as they see fit."

Charlotte fought the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Is that understood?"

Charlotte nodded.

"I said is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Charlotte said softly.

"Good."

The young girl ran past the head maid and returned to the gardens. Once there, she allowed the hateful tears in her eyes to fall, thankful Rudolf was no longer here to see them.

"Hello again, child."

Charlotte sprang up at the sound of a man's voice. When she looked over, her eyes widened when she saw the same man from years before.

"It's you," she whispered.

"It's been a long time."

"I…I thought I dreamed you."

"No, I am very real, I assure you."

Charlotte took in his appearance. He looked the exact same as the two minutes she had seen him as a little girl. Not even a single hair was in a different place.

"Who are you?" she asked him softly.

"A friend," he told her.

She slowly shook her head and took a tentative step towards him. "No. Who are you?"

The man paused for a moment, but his eyes never left their locked position with hers. Finally, he answered, "Der Tod."

Charlotte gasped lightly. "You're Death."

The man gave her a small acknowledging nod.

"You…you took my mother from me."

"She was ill."

"I was a child. I needed her. Why didn't you spare her?"

"If I had, she would've lived the remainder of her life sick and in pain. The fever was causing her to become delirious. In a few weeks, she would not have even recognized you."

Charlotte didn't answer. As much as she wanted her mother back, she couldn't deny that maybe death had been the only option left for her.

"I know you must miss her greatly. If you come with me, your pain will end. Like hers did."

Death held his hand out for her.

"You wanted me to come with you back then too," she said more to herself than to him. She turned to face him. "Death is not the answer. It is never the answer. I cannot come with you now. I won't."

Death smirked a little.

Before she could even register what had happened between them, he had disappeared.

* * *

"Charlotte, the Empress needs her bath prepared," Katrina ordered.

The seventeen-year-old girl hurried to the Empress's room and politely knocked on the door.

"Enter," the Empress called.

"Your Majesty, I'm here to prepare your bath."

Elisabeth looked up at the girl. "I have not seen you before. What is your name?"

"Charlotte, my Lady."

"Charlotte…" Elisabeth muttered, trying to recall if she had ever heard that name. "You're the daughter of one of the other servants, aren't you?"

"My mother passed away when I was little, Your Majesty. From high fever."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The Empress looked at her as she finally recognized her. "You…you used to play with Rudolf when he was little, didn't you?"

Charlotte's eyes widened a little, unsure of how the Empress knew of her meetings with Rudolf when they were young. "Um…I spoke with him sometimes, Your Majesty, but I quickly learned that such a thing was not appropriate."

Elisabeth smiled a little. "No, I'm glad he had you. There was no one else in the palace his age so he didn't have anyone to talk to. Sophie didn't make things any easier on him. You helped give him a little bit of his childhood."

Charlotte returned her smile. "The Crown Prince caught me crying in the garden after my mother had passed, Your Majesty. From there, even though we had been told not to speak again, we always found ways."

Elisabeth laughed lightly. "Thank you, Charlotte."

"You're welcome, my Lady. I shall prepare your bath now."

"Of course."

* * *

After that small meeting, Empress Elisabeth asked for Charlotte frequently. Whenever she was at the palace, which wasn't very often, she requested for Charlotte to serve her.

Charlotte was honored that the Empress thought so highly of her, but she was nervous each time she served the woman. She feared that she would do something wrong and the Empress would then completely change her mind about her.

But such a thing never happened. Elisabeth never failed to be the most satisfied when she was served by Charlotte.

Charlotte thought maybe it was because she reminded the Empress of the teenage years she longed for again, or maybe it was because she wanted to hear about what Rudolf had been like as a child since she had unwillingly missed so much of childhood.

Whatever the case was, being the favorite of the Empress did not help matters with Katrina. The head maid seemed to dislike Charlotte even more. She hadn't even believed that to be possible.

Elisabeth shared much of her feelings with Charlotte, and the young girl slowly began to see that the Empress was not so terrible of a woman she had believed her to be for several years now. She still wasn't happy she had been absent from Rudolf's life so much, but a lot of that hadn't been her choice. And after hearing more about her childhood and how much her father was absent from her own life and her mother spent more time with her sister, the reasoning behind her choices began to become much clearer.

The Empress wasn't a good mother to Rudolf because she didn't know how to be.

Nineteen-year-old Charlotte was about to retire for the night, knowing she had to get up in about four hours. Katrina had given her twice as many chores as usual and she was fairly certain that wasn't an accident.

She passed by the Crown Prince's room but paused when she heard small cries of pain coming from inside.

She knew it was not appropriate for her to enter the prince's room at this hour (or even at all), but what Katrina didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

She took a quick look around and confirmed that no one could see her.

For courtesy's sake, she knocked on the door. Unsurprisingly, there was no reply.

Charlotte slowly entered the room, not knowing what she was expecting.

In bed, Rudolf lightly turned his head from side to side, his face contorted into one of pain.

Charlotte walked over to the bed, aware of how many rules she was about to break but not caring in the slightest.

"Rudolf," she said quietly as she lightly touched his shoulder. "Rudolf."

Rudolf's eyes burst open and he took heaving breaths.

"You were having a bad dream," she said softly.

"Charlotte?"

"Yes, it's me."

Rudolf sat up in the bed and wiped the sweat from his face. He glanced around the room as if he had been expecting someone else.

"No one's ever come here during or after a nightmare," he told her, his breathing beginning to slow. "Only my friend has a few times."

"The Empress doesn't?"

Rudolf scoffed. "She's not concerned with me."

"She loves you. She just…doesn't know how to show it."

"How do you know?"

"She tells me a lot while I serve her. It's amazing how much she opens up to me."

"That doesn't change the fact that she has never been here for me. Not when I was a child and not now."

Charlotte looked at him sadly. "Things have been difficult for her ever since she became Empress. She wasn't prepared for such a drastic change in her lifestyle. It affected her greatly."

Rudolf sighed and looked back at her. "Why can't she be here for me?"

Charlotte took a deep breath. "Get some rest, Rudolf. You have a full day ahead, I'm sure."

Rudolf lay back down in the bed to return to sleep, and the young woman pulled up the blankets as a good servant did.

Charlotte curtseyed and left the room, wishing she could do something to repair the broken relationship the prince had with his mother.

* * *

Word got around the palace that the Crown Prince was to be married to the Princess Stéphanie of Belgium. It was a marriage that had been arranged strictly for political purposes. The Emperor and Empress were eager to have the throne secured for the future after Rudolf took their place as Emperor. Rudolf needed to be married and produce an heir as soon as possible.

Charlotte couldn't understand why the idea of him marrying the princess bothered her.

As she sat in the gardens thinking about everyone who was excited about the marriage and why she couldn't be excited too, she heard footsteps approaching.

"After all these years, I can still find you here."

Charlotte quickly stood up from the bench and curtseyed to the approaching prince. "It's a good place to think."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just…everything."

Rudolf only nodded a little.

"You are meeting Princess Stéphanie tonight, are you not?"

"Yes. There's going to be a ball held in her honor."

"I know, I've been helping to prepare for it for a week."

"I'll be expected to share a dance with her and propose marriage to her in front of everyone."

"And if she refuses?"

"Both of us are aware of the arrangements of the marriage. This proposal is for show more than anything."

"And you're okay with that?"

"As the Crown Prince, I have a duty to the throne more than anything else. If I have to have an arranged marriage to secure my right to it, so be it."

Charlotte admired him for his sense of duty as a prince, but she also felt bad that he was going to be forced into a loveless marriage for the sole purpose of producing an heir.

Rudolf smiled a little. "If I remember correctly, didn't you say that one day you would get to go to a ball?"

Charlotte let out a small embarrassed laugh. "I can't believe you remember that. Well, that was back when I was still just a child. I'm aware now that servants do not attend balls unless it is to serve those in attendance."

"Well, if you can't dance tonight, why not dance now?"

"What?"

"I need to practice for tonight anyway. It wouldn't do to make a fool of myself in front of the princess."

"But…you've been taking lessons and I haven't. I don't even know how to dance."

Rudolf smirked a little. "You've been watching my lessons though."

"No…I-I haven't."

"You made it a point to come in and clean the room whenever I was practicing. And I could see you watching, trying to absorb everything."

Charlotte smiled sheepishly. "I suppose the childish dream of mine really never left."

"Then shall we?"

Rudolf held his hand out for her.

Charlotte took a step towards him and nervously took his hand. He gently put her hand on his shoulder and then took her other hand in his.

A shiver coursed through her when she felt him place his hand on the small of her back.

"Now, it's easy. 1, 2, 3. And 1, 2, 3. And 1, 2, 3. And 1, 2, 3."

Rudolf was correct.

Though she was embarrassed he had noticed, Charlotte had been watching each lesson and practiced what she watched during her few moments alone wherever she was.

The two of them waltzed perfectly all around the gardens never once losing a single beat. Rudolf soon switched from counting to humming a fast-paced tune he had practiced with in his lessons.

Charlotte laughed with him, enjoying every second of their improvised dance. It was better than she had ever imagined.

He smiled as he spun Charlotte out and back into him.

The young woman smiled broadly and looked up at his very handsome smiling face.

Rudolf gently put his hand to her face. His thumb lightly rubbed her cheek with a tenderness she had never experienced before.

Her eyes moved down to gaze at his lips. They were so close to her face. They moved closer to her.

She found herself wanting to…

Charlotte's eyes widened and she quickly moved out of his embrace, breathing heavily.

"Um…I believe…they will be wanting me to…look at preparations for the ball," Rudolf stuttered.

Charlotte couldn't even nod her head.

Rudolf left the gardens and returned inside the palace.

Charlotte looked at the retreating prince and placed her hand to her chest where her heart was racing inside.

There was only one way to explain why she felt this way.

She was in love with Prince Rudolf.

Tears formed in her eyes as she pressed her hand to her mouth.

Why of all people did she have to fall in love with the Crown Prince? Absolutely anyone else would have been better. But nothing was more impossible than for a prince and a servant to be together.

"Painful, isn't it?"

Charlotte swallowed a bitter lump in her throat as she heard the same voice penetrate her thoughts that had done so several times now.

"It must hurt to know that you've fallen in love with the one person you can never be with."

The tears began to slide down her face as his words pierced her heart.

Death slowly circled around her. "There is a way you can make this pain end. You know the way."

"No…" she whispered.

She started to leave, but Death grasped her wrist. She was briefly shocked by how cold his hand was. She could not bring herself to look at him.

"Even if the boy loved you back, it would be impossible for him to be with you. No one would allow it. Especially not his parents."

"Stop…"

Death lightly pulled her arm which forced her to turn around.

She finally met his dark eyes that pulled her to a place she didn't want to go. But try as she might, she could not look away from them.

Death held her wrist close to his face. He brought his hand up and gently brushed away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks.

She looked at his lips.

It would be so easy to end all of this. To go with him and never again worry about Katrina or her impossible feelings for Rudolf or pleasing the Empress or anything.

He seemed to sense what she was feeling. He slowly moved his head closer to her.

For a split second, Charlotte almost let him do it.

But then she snatched her wrist out of his grasp.

"Death is not the answer," she repeated to him. "It's never the answer."

She turned to leave again, but this time Death grasped both of her wrists. He leaned in close to her.

"Are you sure about that?" he said in an almost seductive whisper.

Death released her arms, but Charlotte couldn't move. He raised his arms and crossed them over her head before slowly bringing them down in front of her as if he was trying to involve her in some kind of twisted dance.

"My only wish is to ease your pain, child…"

Charlotte finally forced her feet to move and broke free of his embrace. She turned and gave him one last look before quickly walking back towards the palace.

Death just smirked as he watched her go.


	4. Chapter 4

_Mayerling, 1889_

"He came to see me many times," Charlotte explained to a stunned Rudolf. "And I talked to him. About everything. But I never trusted him."

Rudolf looked over at his friend. All this time, Charlotte had been conversing with him just like he had. They had even met him within days of each other.

"Rudolf, death is not the answer," she said firmly, telling him what she had always told Death as well. "It is never the answer. There is always another way. You cannot do this. Because if you do…then I can never tell you how I truly feel about you."

"What do you mean?" Rudolf asked hesitantly.

"I am in love with you."

The prince felt his heart skip a beat at the confession, and he couldn't find words to answer her.

"I've been in love with you for years now. I just didn't know it until recently. I couldn't tell you because…I was berated just for talking to you. To confess that I was in love with you…not knowing if you would respond the same way? It was too much of a risk for me. But I cannot hide how I feel about you from you any longer."

Rudolf lovingly put his hand to her cheek. "Charlotte…"

"I know that I cannot be by your side as your wife, but I shall always be there for you. Whatever it is you are going through that makes you feel you must go to Death, I will help you through it."

Rudolf smiled little. "You always were stronger than me."

Charlotte smiled back at him.

His hand gently caressed her hair. "I am in love with you as well, my beautiful Charlotte. I think I always have been."

Rudolf leaned in close to her and kissed her for the very first time. Charlotte put her arms around his neck so that the moment would never cease.

The kiss became more and more passionate as the two of them realized just how much they had been wanting to kiss each after so many years of friendship.

"What is this…?"

The two of them reluctantly broke apart to see who had caught them.

"Mary?" Rudolf asked in surprise.

"Lady Vetsera?" Charlotte said.

The two of them stared at the Baroness who had visited the palace on a few occasions and become good acquaintances with Rudolf.

"You…you loved me…" Mary whispered.

"I never loved you, Mary."

"No!" she screamed in hysterics. "All those times I came to the palace and we sat down to tea and talked for hours must've meant something to you! You said that any man would be lucky to have me as a wife!"

"And I meant that. But that doesn't mean that I love you. And I'm sorry that I led you to believe such a thing."

"How could you betray me like this?! And with a _servant_!"

"Mary, please."

To their shock, Mary held up the gun that Rudolf had planned to shoot himself with only moments ago.

The Baroness looked at Charlotte with hatred. "You stole my love from me. You, a lowly servant girl, stole my Rudolf's heart."

"Please, my Lady, I mean no harm," Charlotte said in an attempt to appease the hysterical Baroness.

"I will make you pay for this!"

Charlotte flinched and closed her eyes when the sound of a gunshot echoed into the air. She waited for the pain to hit her. But it never came.

She looked in front of her in horror, unwilling to believe what she was seeing.

Rudolf had taken the shot himself to protect her.

"No…" Mary cried.

Charlotte caught Rudolf and sank down to the ground with him.

"No!" the Baroness wailed.

She ran away from them in tears. Charlotte heard another gunshot and a small thud.

"Why did you do that?" Charlotte cried as she held the dying prince in her arms.

"I couldn't just let her kill the woman I love, could I?"

"But you're the prince! Your country needs you! What is more important? The life of a servant or the life of a prince?"

"In my eyes, you are more important than I will ever be."

"No…Rudolf, what about your mother?"

Rudolf smiled sadly. "She needs you more than she needs me."

"She needs her _son_!"

"You'll be there for her."

"But…"

Rudolf pressed his hand to the side of her face, his fingers gently wiping tears away. "Your face is too beautiful for tears."

Charlotte caressed him as his breathing became more and more labored.

"Charlotte…my whole life…you have been the only constant thing. You have been my dearest friend and the woman I love more than any other. My life was worth living just because you were in it."

Charlotte smiled through her tears. "I love you, Rudolf."

She placed a gentle kiss to his lips before his body stilled.

Charlotte held his body close to her and sobbed over him.

She could feel Death's lingering presence next to her.

"You took him," she whispered harshly.

"He gave himself to me long before tonight," Death responded.

Charlotte couldn't answer.

"Come with me, child. Then all of this pain you have been constantly feeling will end."

"No," the servant answered firmly. "Because if I go with you now…his sacrifice will mean nothing."

Death smirked. "His sacrifice?"

"Yes. He may have given himself to you, but he did it to keep me from doing so. And I will not forget it."

She kissed Rudolf's forehead and laid him down on the ground.

Then she stood up and faced Death. "Now leave me! I will not go with you until I am left with no other option! I will never give in to you before my time to live has come to an end!"

Death smiled at her in that infuriating way he did when he was amused with someone. Then he lifted up his arm in some kind of signal.

Several shirtless men with dirtied blond hair and black pants slowly approached Rudolf's body.

Charlotte watched sadly as Death's angels gently lifted Rudolf onto their shoulders and carried him off.

When she looked behind her, Death was gone.

* * *

 _Hofburg, 1889_

Elisabeth watched the young woman in front of her as she served her her food.

Ever since the news of Rudolf's death, Elisabeth had barely found the will to go on. In fact, she had even asked Death to take her, but this time, he refused her. She still didn't understand why. All this time, he had wanted her to go with him, and when she finally agreed, he rebuffed her.

What was strange was that her servant had become much less lively as well.

Charlotte had been her most favored servant for several years. Her usual cheery and respectful disposition had quickly charmed the Empress.

As she looked at the girl now, she only saw pain.

"You loved him, didn't you?" she asked bluntly.

Charlotte looked over at her in surprise. "I beg your pardon, my Lady?"

"My son."

Charlotte swallowed another lump in her throat. "With all due respect, my Lady, it would not be appropriate of me to have romantic feelings towards the Crown Prince."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Charlotte sighed heavily. Finally, she told the Empress quietly, "Yes, my Lady. I did love him. Forgive me for exhibiting such inappropriate feelings."

Elisabeth looked away from her. "We don't always choose who we fall in love with."

The tone she used made Charlotte wonder if the Empress herself had had a similar experience.

"I wasn't there for him all these years."

"My Lady—"

"I wasn't, Charlotte. There were so many times I could've spent much more time with him, but I chose my own needs over his. That is the exact opposite of how a mother should be. He tried to talk to me. He tried to reach out to me. And I just pushed him away." Elisabeth sighed heavily before looking over at Charlotte. "Did he love you as well?"

Charlotte hesitated in answering, not knowing how Elisabeth would feel about her answer.

"It's alright, Charlotte."

"Yes, he did, my Lady."

Elisabeth smiled sadly. "He deserved love. Thank you for giving it to him."

"I am not worthy of your thanks, Your Majesty."

"Charlotte, you were there for him all these years when no else was. You made him happy. That was something he couldn't get from his life here at the palace."

Charlotte's eyes watered at the Empress's words. It was astounding that the Empress would approve of her love for her son. But hearing that even the Empress could see that she made Rudolf happy hit her in the hole he had left in her heart.

Elisabeth's own eyes filled with tears. "Thank you for giving him what I failed to give."

Charlotte curtseyed. "Thank you for your kind words, my Lady."

Since Elisabeth knew that Charlotte could not touch any of the royal members of the household without their permission, she stood up and went over to the girl.

Her arms came up and encircled Charlotte.

Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise at the Empress's sign of affection. She slowly raised her arms to return the sorrowful hug.

Elisabeth's body shook as she began to cry.

Charlotte forbid herself from letting the Empress see her cry as well. She needed to be strong for her. She already knew full well that the Empress was never going to be the same again after her son's death.

The servant gently rubbed the woman's back and let her cry in her embrace.

 _Oh, Rudolf_ , she thought. _If only you could know how much your mother truly loves you…_

* * *

 _French Riviera, 1890_

Elisabeth went on another trip away from the palace. Knowing that Rudolf would never again walk the halls was far too painful for her.

She brought Charlotte along this time, wanting her closest servant with her at all times. She was the closest thing to Rudolf she had left.

As Charlotte walked along the roads of France, something felt off. She glanced around her, looking for anything that might alert her to danger.

Someone approached from the left. Metal glinted in the light.

"Empress!" Charlotte cried.

She quickly stepped in front of the black-clad woman just as the stranger made his move.

Pain shot through her body.

A knife sank deep into her flesh before ripping out again.

"Charlotte!" Elisabeth screamed in horror.

The stranger ran away before Charlotte could make out any definable features.

She sank to the ground in agonizing pain.

"Empress, run!" she ordered.

"I can't just leave you!" Elisabeth told her desperately.

"Please, my Lady, go!"

Charlotte knew she should never order the Empress, but when her life was in danger, the rules could be forgotten as long as she stayed safe.

Elisabeth thankfully took off.

Charlotte thought she heard her saying she would come back with help, but she wasn't sure.

"Hello, child."

Charlotte took ragged breaths as the pain stretched throughout her. "I knew you would come."

Death slowly walked towards her.

"I saved her," Charlotte whispered.

"Yes, you did."

Death was irritated that Elisabeth had once again failed to come to him, but if it made the girl happy that she was alive, he would hide his irritation from her.

Charlotte gasped again and held the wound on her stomach.

Death knelt down next to her. Then he took her up into his arms.

She met his cold eyes once again, but something about them was not so terrifying this time.

He gently stroked her cheek where tears of pain rested.

Charlotte reached up to grasp his shoulder.

"Come now, child," Death said softly. "You have been denied your love in this world. But the time has come for you to be with your lover."

Charlotte did not feel any fear when she saw Death leaning his head towards hers.

Death's cold lips pressed against her own.

Charlotte went limp in his arms.

* * *

Charlotte looked down and saw that she was wearing a thin white dress that reached down to her feet.

She then turned around and to her surprise, there stood Rudolf.

He was dressed in white pants and a loose white shirt.

She slowly walked up to him, and he smiled broadly at her.

As she reached him, he took her hand in his. Her hand reached up to caress the side of his face.

She smiled at him, seeing him for the first time in almost a year.

Rudolf leaned his head down and kissed her passionately.

Charlotte happily returned the kiss, treasuring every single moment his lips touched hers with more love than she could ever know.

When they parted, Charlotte smiled again.

They both looked off to the side and saw Death standing near them. He gestured for them to follow him.

Rudolf held his hand out for her.

Charlotte smiled as she took it.

The two of them followed Death away from where they were standing.

As they walked away, Charlotte knew that perhaps…just this once…death was the answer.


End file.
